SFC conducts successful raids following public tip-offs
KUCHING: Public participation in Sarawak’s ongoing campaign against illegal logging has been a key factor in a number of successful enforcement operations carried out by Sarawak Forestry Corporation (SFC).
This was again manifested through recent raids carried out by SFC’s OSCC ( One- Stop Compliance Centre) at Kapit and Sarikei.
“Acting on a public tip- off in Kapit last Friday, a team from OSCC Baleh foiled an attempt to smuggle 50 logs of various sizes and species that had been tied together into rafts at Sungai Sebenuang, Baleh.
‘ When found, the rafts of unmarked logs were unmanned and believed to have been felled from the forest nearby. The logs were estimated to be of 110.3 cubic metres (m3) in volume,” said SFC in a statement issued yesterday.
“In another case on Saturday (April 22), another team from OSCC Sarikei raided a location by the roadside near Kuala Rejang, Sarikei after receiving information of suspected mangrove theft at the reported location.
“The raid found 309 mangrove poles stacked in piles. None of the poles bear any official markings and were subsequently detained upon confirming that no licence to extract timber has been issued for that area,” SFC said.
Both cases have been reported to the nearest police station and have been handed over to the relevant authority for further investigation and disposal.